Just been offroading at the weekend in the lakes, for my birthday

We'd decided to try the Old Coach Road, on Saturday morning, as it was fairly dry, my brother in his Freelander, and me in my FL2.

I've uploaded some pictures in my gallery for you all.

As you can see, we had a slight mishap, and saw just has deep and mud puddle can be. It looked fine, just like it was a bit soft, so my brother took it easy, with me standing on the bank advising him to keep going, the he began to sink, and I began to laugh.

It was the best hour of day, trying to dig him back out. We eventually found the towing eye, and removed the very large rocks from under the exhaust and bumper, so we could tow it out. We gave up and turned around at that point

How glad am I that I packed a spade and towing strop.

It was a great road, so good we drove it twice, or was that because I forgot to pick up shovel after all the excitement.

Rich

Heres my favourite photos

Nice photos there Rich

I liked number 7,

after all the pictures of your brothers FL1 upto to its bumpers in mud,

it felt like the FL2 was running away

Nick Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

I am hoping to become a LRF2 owner in April so I'm a bit naive to most stuff to do with off road - how did you know about this particular road and that it was OK to use it with a vehicle? Did you need permission? Is there a booklet or a website where I can find these places?

I would start with a Landrover off road experiance, see if the dealer will throw one in, (they normally do a half day free, and i am told your able to upgrade to the full day by paying the difference)

The full day gives more time on the rough stuff and lets you do most of the driving whilst getting guidence.

There are websites out there that run club and you can find tips on which you can and can't go on, try searching for greenlaning in your area.

Lots of the people on Disco3 go trips and occassionaly do quarry days which i am told are fun. Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

Look in the events section of disco3.co.uk - currently there are 3 or 4 proposed days out. RRS 2.7 TDV6 HSE Zambezi silver, Alpaca, Privicy Glass, Sun roof, PTI, Tasmod's sills, DVD for the offspring, Sex on wheels! RRSPORT.CO.UK sticker on back window! S/C grill & Vents, Front & Rear Lamp Guards, Driving lamps and mud in places you wouldn't believe!
D3 for the wife - No extras! (she has to earn them!)

I like Boobies!!!!

nice bit of bog sinking......very fast show. Hope there is no damage

rmbillington.

First of all, thank you very much for sharing your pictures with us; spectacular.

In a few months time I shall be doing something similar down in Spain in one of the mountain ranges.

I owned a FL1 for 3 years, and have had the FL2 for 6 months, so I know the FL1 was pretty capable and I fancy my FL2 is going to surpass it.

It would be really interesting if you would update us on how your relation's FL1 compared to your FL2 on that particular outing.

To Pete S.
I found out about the old coach road from the Disco3 forum, as I posted asking for any routes in the lakes that people know about, I figured that they'd be more people whove already done offroading on there, and it worked.

I also did a lot of research on the lake district website. Each county council/park authority has a list of byways and UCRs, some are more helpful and list them on their website, others you may have to email someone to ask them.

Then I've mapped these in memory map, but a good old OS map would do. I've been looking into this for a while, as one of the reasons for buying my FL2 was to use it for offroading.

One thing I have found is that green lanes can be a bit hit and miss, we've done a bit round leicestershire, and they were overgrown, with this one, we only got half way.

Someone recently advised that I have a go at trialing, as most clubs do a showroom class. This way you'd do some challenging offroading, where you have to think, but in a non-damaging way.So we are goign to try and find somewhere half way between Peterborough and Blackpool, so we can meet in the middle.

To Chicken George,
No damage that any of us could see, thankfully, if we had of pulled it straing out, without digging the rear free, we would have ripped the exhaust off if not more. I was quite glad it wasnt' my car that was stuck.

To Nazca Sand Eddie,
To be fair, with what we did, it didn't challenge either cars, apart from "The Bog", as I'm going to name it. I don't know if the FL2 would have gotten out, we daren't try it, after nearly rolling it on a second try, with a different route.

The one thing I would say, is always carry a shovel, in fact I may buy a second, a small folding shovel, as a big one was great for the heavy work, but rubbish under the rear of the car, and we ended up using a stick we found burried in the mud.

If we get to a pay and play day, or a trialing day, I'll update you on ow they compare. But needless to say, we both really enjoyed getting stuck, and the challenge of getting the car out.

Rich

my mate has a collection of WW2 jeeps they all have a place on the side to hold a spade and an axe so the soldiers could dig the jeep out and/or cut branches to drive over. I somehow dont think we would be allowed to drive around with axes strapped to the sides of our fl2s

Thanks for your update.

Good idea about the folding shovel, I will look around for a sturdy one - cheers.

rmbillington - thanks for that info. I will do some research along those lines ready for April. I've done an off-road experience day and absolutely loved it and hope to use my FL2 off road when I get it. If you do get round to hearing about/organising a 'showroom class' trialling day please keep us posted.

Also, on where to find out about routes, I know LRO magazine has a greenlane of the month.

I'm sure I also saw that in Total Offroad they have 4/5 greenlanes each month, and grade them as to which vehicles can do them, although I was only looking at it while in WH Smiths, so I could have the name wrong, or it could have been a one off.

Rich

One thing I forgot to ask, does anyone know the best way to pull a car from the mud?

The clutch on mine started to smell very bad when trying to pull my brothers Fl out.

Rich

Get an Auto, that's the best way I suppose!

look at www.blitz4x4.org.uk/play_safe.htm

I fancy this KERR method is only for those who know what they are doing!